The Kogi State Governor-elect, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, has distanced himself from the arrest of the All Progressives Congress (APC) deputy governorship candidate, Hon. James Faleke and son of the late APC governorship candidate, Mohammed Audu by the Department of State Services (DSS), saying he has no hand in the arrest.

In a statement issued through his media office and signed Jude Salau on Sunday, Bello said he never sent a petition against the duo to the DSS.

He said, “The allegation that I sent a petition to the DSS is an absolute falsehood and nothing can be farther from the truth.

“I did not send any petition to the security department to invite Faleke. The insinuations that I might have written a petition to push for their invitation is absolute falsehood. Nothing can be farther from the truth,” the governor-elect further stressed.

The statement described Faleke as a “respected member of APC who has made his own contribution to the success of our party”

According to them, instigating his arrest cannot be a part of their reconciliatory moves and peace building efforts.

“As we count down towards this historic inauguration of our change government, our focus remains the enactment of a responsive and responsible leadership to Kogi citizens who have placed their trust in our party.

“We are determined to deliver dividends of democracy to our persevering and patriotic people at the fastest speed. A new Kogi is here: peace, harmony and all round development,” the governor-elect said.